Return to Hogwarts
by iminlovewiththesky
Summary: The Soon-To-Be Eighth years are invited back to Hogwarts, but what they don't know is that a new prophecy had arrived, and what does it have to do with the Founders of Hogwarts...?
1. Chapter 1

The weeks had been long for Draco Malfoy since the war ended. What with all the trials and funerals he had attended, he sometimes thought he could never have a moment to himself. Just last week he had attended the trial for Travers, one of the nastier of the death eaters. He had been declared guilty, and subjugated to the dementors kiss. Draco couldn't argue against it, he knew Travers was evil, most of the death eaters were. He just wished he had never gotten involved, escaped with his parents before it had been too late and the Dark Lord was knocking on their door.

He was sitting alone in his bedroom, he and his mother were currently living with Andromeda Black, who had been far too kind and allowed the former death eaters into her home. Malfoy Manor was currently being held under investigation, therefore the remaining Malfoys were forced out of their home. Although, it hadn't been much of a home to Draco in a very long time. Lost in his thoughts, he stared out the window, wondering what was to become of him when he heard his mother knock twice on his door, then enter.

"A letter has arrived for you Draco, by owl," Draco looked over at his mother, her frail form covered with expensive robes, not up to her usual standards, but they hadn't had access to their home, so they couldn't pick up their old clothes.

Draco glanced down at the letter his mother's shaking hand was holding. He immediately recognized the seal, the Hogwarts seal. Memories flooded into his head, both good and bad. He silently reached out and took the letter from his mother.

Narcissa's bottom lip quivered, she took another step forward, then fell to her knees.

"Draco, darling please say something, I need you, please, just say something!" she sobbed into the front of his dress shirt. Draco said nothing, he hadn't in a long time. Not when saying something could get another one of his friends killed. Crabbe, Nott, Astoria…. No. It was just better for everyone if he kept his mouth shut.

Narcissa looked into his eyes, her poor son's beautiful silver eyes, but what she saw just made her cry harder, pain, guilt, fear, every feeling he was harshly taught never to feel. So much pain, and he was just a boy. Her sobs subsided, she haughtily stood up, and wordlessly swept out of the room, looking as though nothing had happened.

Draco looked down at the letter in his trembling hands, he wished he could say something, anything, to his mother, but he couldn't. The last time he had addressed her out of turn, he had gotten her hit with a cruciatus curse. He had learned to just take it and wait for the unforgivable curse to be over, but she hadn't, and her screams had echoed around his head ever since.

He opened the letter, took a deep breathe, and read.

_Dear Mr. Draco Malfoy,_

_I, Headmaster McGonagall hereby invite you, and the other children from your year to return to Hogwarts for an eighth year. This way you may finish your N.E. so you can apply for jobs with as many credentials as any other witch or wizard. You may either return to Hogwarts for your eighth year, or you may go to the Ministry of Magic and do your examinations there. I do suggest you return to Hogwarts however, as you will have only two weeks to study for your examinations at the Ministry as they are taking place on August 23- August 30__th__, which happens to be in exactly two weeks. Those who do wish to return to Hogwarts, there have been some changes for the eighth years. As you all know, there will not be enough space in the house common rooms for all of you returning. However there will be one, large, eighth year common room which you will all share. You may remain in your houses, but house points cannot be given or taken from you. The head boy and head girl will be seventh years. I hope you all decide what is best for you._

_Sincerely,_

_Headmaster Minerva McGonagall_

Draco was dumbfounded.

Why the hell would McGonagall want _him _back at Hogwarts? He was a death eater, he had hurt people, and he deserved nothing less than Azkaban in his opinion. He pondered what the letter a moment longer, he then realized that this was McGonagall's way of forgiving him. His mind wandered back to the great battle of Hogwarts, before he had chased Potter and his friends into the room of requirement, he had pushed her out of the way of a cruciatus curse, and received the full blow. This must be her way of repaying that debt.

He thought about his options, he had already been trialed, and declared innocent, thanks to some choice words from the boy who lived. He shook his head at the memory and immediately went back to the subject at hand. Returning to the Ministry, even if only for a week, that would ruin him. He wouldn't be able to handle it. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He decided to sleep on it and decide what to do in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione sighed loudly as she ran to meet up with Ginny Weasley. She had just left a particularly annoying interview with who she assumed to be the new Rita Skeeter. She and Ginny were meeting up to go back to Hogwarts. They planned on meeting Ron, Harry, Neville, ad Luna on the train.

Hermione would be lying if she said she wasn't excited. She had missed out on her last year at Hogwarts, and had thought that any potential future she would have had would be ruined, but Harry had managed to work something out with McGonagall for Hermione. Just her luck that McGonagall had been thinking along the same lines and sent out those letters. She could barely contain her excitement, they would finally be left alone, just her and her friends, just like it used to be.

"Hey Hermione!" a cheery voice dragged Hermione out of her thoughts.

"Ginny!" the two witches ran into a tight hug. The last few months had been insanely busy for both of them.

"So how is Harry doing?" asked Hermione, after the war the two had gotten back together, she hadn't seen either of them in days, yet another reason she was excited to go back.

Their hug had pushed up Hermione's long sweater sleeves, revealing something she had been trying to forget. Ginny's eyes widened, she looked around fearfully then pulled the sleeve back down.

"What are you doing? Showing that off like that? We need to leave," and with that mysterious sentence, Ginny apparated the both of them away. They appeared at King's Cross Station, Hermione still confused, and Ginny already pulling Hermione towards the Hogwarts Express. Once on the train, any thoughts of Ginny's odd behaviour vanished because she was here, and she was finally going home. Hermione beamed, and let herself be ushered down the train by Ginny. Before she realized it, she was in a compartment with Ginny, Ron, Harry, and Luna.

She laughed happily before pulling each one of them into a hug. Ron was very awkward about it, keeping his arms crossed over his chest while she hugged him, their break-up had been surprising for him. He hadn't expected it, he had already picked out baby names and everything! But Hermione had bigger dreams, she didn't want to be tied down with responsibilities like family.

"So how are you doing Hermione?" asked Luna, with an airy voice.

"It's been busy, but I cannot wait to get back to Hogwarts and start studying!"

There was collective laughing from around the compartment. Of course the first thing Hermione would want to do is study, things were already looking normal again.

"Trevor! Wait up!" Before they knew it, a toad had hopped onto Ron's lap, and a very red Neville followed him there.

"Got him!" He grinned, but Ron just rolled his eyes in amusement and shoved Neville off his lap. Neville went sprawling on the floor, but couldn't even feel it because him, and everyone else, were laughing too hard to care.

Small talk ensued, it was so easy to just let everything fall back into place. But was it really that easy? As Hermione's smile faded, she looked around the small room.

Harry had dark circles under his eyes, his hair was messier than normal, and his eyes weren't as bright as they used to be. Ron looked much thinner, she remembers when Ron used to eat as much as he could, but now she was pretty sure he was the skinniest one in the compartment. Neville still had two of the scars from his time at Hogwarts last year, his smile seemed dimmer, but still genuine. Ginny once bright red hair was now more of a dull, muted rust colour.

The only one who looked just as they used to was Luna, and Hermione knew that she had had one of the roughest years last year. She was one of the only ones who knew exactly what happened in the Malfoy dungeon before they had showed up. Her pathetic little scar was nothing compared to the scars Luna had. Yet she was still smiling, laughing, her eyes seemed even brighter than normal. She brought normalcy back to their group

"Hermione? You still in there?"

Hermione jumped in surprise, she saw everyone looking at her. Harry and Ron looked concerned, but Ginny looked suspicious. Hermione immediately zeroed in on her face, why would Ginny look suspicious?

"Ginny, is there something you want to tell me?" asked Hermione. Ginny turned stark white, she quickly shook her head. A jumbled mess of words fell from her mouth, excuses and apologises, but by this time, everyone else was curious as well.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" asked Harry, looking confused as to what his girlfriend was keeping secret.

Ginny sighed. "It's just, I can't…. It's hard to explain," when no one said anything she continued, "Over the summer, I had an appointment with some interviewer, you know the usual, but when I got there all there was, was a note that told me to go to the department of mysteries."

"But why would you go…" interrupted Neville. "Because they said they were keeping my family captive, that's why." Snapped Ginny angrily, "So I went, and it was just as creepy as it was in my fourth year, and they were there. They were dressed in all black, I couldn't see their face, and they gave me this."

At these words, Ginny pulled a glass orb out of her bag. It was a beautiful object, swirling red, blue, green, white, gold, and millions of unnamed colours. Hermione could hardly take her eyes off of it.

"They said it was for you, Hermione, they said that you could unlock it." Ginny finished shakily.

But Hermione wasn't paying attention, her hand had slowly extended towards the orb, eyes transfixed on it. Before anyone could stop her, she snatched it out of Ginny's hand. A loud voice reverberated around the compartment.

"_Four born with the power of Hogwarts founders, one born from snow… one from sun… one from wind… and one from rain. They shall inherit the power of the founders, and defeat the darkness within the school. Beware of the darkness, for once it has met its fate, it will possess those who oppose it."_


End file.
